Jean-Francois Cope

The UMP held the presidency of France for 17 years, until May, when Socialist candidate Francois Hollande defeated Mr Sarkozy's bid for a second term.

The two candidates have different visions for the party.

Mr Cope is considered more right-wing. Last month he produced "A Manifesto for an Uninhibited Right" in which he claimed that gangs in the city suburbs were fostering "anti-white racism".

Mr Fillon is seen as sober and more restrained.

The winner will inherit a party in difficult financial straits, after a series of electoral setbacks over the past five years, culminating in Mr Sarkozy's presidential defeat to Socialist rival Francois Hollande.